Thursday, 6 October 2016

Hardwick Hall Gardens in October

When the latest National
Trust magazine arrived last week I realised I hadn't visited Hardwick
Hall for some time. In fact the last time we went was back in May as
part of the Chesterfield Walking Festival. With a sunny morning to
myself I headed off so see what was happening at the moment.

At the moment the roof is
undergoing repairs. It's an expensive project but the original owner,
Bess of Hardwick, never did anything on the cheap. Her initials 'E
S', from when she was Countess of Shrewsbury (thanks to her fourth
marriage), adorn the top of the house. The walls of the garden
themselves are pieces of architecture and provide a great background
for the South Border.

So full is the South Border
at this time of year that the door out of the gardens can be seen
thanks only to being painted in the Hardwick blue colour.

I came to Hardwick hoping
for some autumn colour and I wasn't disappointed. As I turned through
the entrance into the West Court in front of the house I was greeted
by a vibrant pop of purple provided by the aster.

The last of the lace cap
hydrangeas are just hanging on before the petals turn to their brown
skeleton state for the winter.

In front of the Stumpery is
a shady area. Early in the year it is filled with snowdrops and
crocuses but at the moment ground is covered with autumn cyclamen.

Most of the plants in the
Herb Garden aren't fans of the cold, damp British climate. Although
it has been mild around these parts recently the change in the season
is certainly having an effect on them. One of the survivors is the
echinacea but I feel it won't be long before the last of the petals
drop off.

There's a few winter
brassicas in the veg plot hoping to make it through to spring but
these are completely overshadowed by the bright stems of the chard.

Round the back of the house
is the East Court Rose Garden and you can see why it has been called
this. There are still a number of roses in bloom and I was stopped by
the scent of some of them as I walked past.

It's not all about flowers
when it comes to colour – just look at this tree bark! I didn't
even check to see what tree it was. Anyone good at bark
identification?

When I first arrived at the
gardens the ladies at the gatehouse told me that the dahlias were out
in flower in the border of The Orchard. I love dahlias. The
brightness of the blooms, the size of the flowers and range of
varieties available. Who could not be cheered by the sight of a
dahlia border?

Before I got to the dahlias
some of the volunteer gardeners were deadheading the chrysanthemums.
In fact while I was walking round I only encountered two other couples
but the volunteer gardeners were busy dealing with the neverending
tasks. It makes it a great time of year to visit gardens if you want
the feel of having your own private garden.

I wasn't the only one
appreciating the dahlias. The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
was enjoying the sunshine and some of the last of the nectar
available.

As the days start to shorten
I will leave you with one last dahlia. This one is named Christmas
Carol and it is certainly one to make my heart sing.

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